Condatis#Archaeological evidence
{{Short description|Celtic deity}}
Condatis (Gaulish: 'confluence') was an ancient Celtic deity worshipped primarily in northern Britain but also in Gaul. He was associated with the confluences of rivers, in particular within County Durham in the North of England.
{{efn|name="MacKillop_Intro"|MacKillop – Celtic Mythology...
Condatis ..."A god worshipped in Roman occupied Britain, much associated with the confluence of rivers...His shrines have been found between the Tyne and Tees rivers...His name is commemorated in many place names ...{{sfn|MacKillop|2004|pp=100}} }}
Condatis is known from several inscriptions in Britain and a single inscription found at Alonnes, Sarthe, France. In each case he is equated with the Roman god Mars.{{efn|See also: Mars (mythology)
- Name and cult epithets
- Provincial epithets
- Celtic Mars
- Mars Condatis... }}
Name
The theonym Condatis derives from the stem condāt-, meaning 'confluence', itself from Proto-Celtic *kom-dati-, from an earlier kom-dhh1-ti- ('put with, put together', i.e. 'grouping, reunion').{{Sfn|Delamarre|2003|pp=123–124}}{{Sfn|Matasović|2009|p=204}}
The stem condāt- is also attested in personal names, including Condatus, Condatius, and Condatie, as well as in toponyms such as Condé, Condat, Candé, Conte, Condes, Candes, Cosnes, Condate (the old name of Rennes and Northwich), Condom, Condéon (both from *Condate-o-magos), Cond (< *Condate-dunum), Kontz, Conz (Trier), and Canstatt (Condistat).{{Sfn|Nègre|1990|pp=109–112}}{{Sfn|Delamarre|2003|pp=123–124}}
Cult
The cult title is probably related to the place name Condate, often used in Gaul for settlements at the confluence of rivers.Maier, Dictionary of Celtic Religion and Culture, p. 80.
The Celtic god Condatis is thought to have functions pertaining to water and healing.
Ross, Anne (1967). Pagan Celtic Britain. Routledge & Kegan Paul. {{ISBN|0-902357-03-4}}.
Roman altar-inscriptions to Mars Condates have been found near Roman forts in County Durham in the North of England that may suggest a 'confluence-deity' cult and the possibility that river confluences may have been used as pagan ritual sacrifice or human sacrifice sites.{{efn|SPNS – Brittonic Language...
Aber ..."On the possibility that confluences and estuaries may have been
pagan ritual sites...The altar-inscriptions to Condatis found in the Tyne-Tees region may be evidence of a 'confluence-deity' cult in that area
...{{sfn|James|2020|pp=4-5}} }}{{efn|See also: Paganism ..."Ritual sacrifice was an integral part of ancient Graeco-Roman religion and was regarded as an indication of whether a person was pagan or Christian...}}{{efn|See also: Persecution of pagans in the late Roman Empire
..."Despite official threats...paganism remained widespread into the early fifth century continuing in parts of the empire into the 600s...}}
Archaeological evidence
=British Isles=
Roman altars with inscriptions to Mars Condates have been found in the Tees and Wear valleys of County Durham.
{{efn|name="MacKillop_Intro"}} Altars are normally found at the confluence of rivers – for example, the Cong Burn–Wear confluence near Chester-le-Street – however others may have been disturbed or removed, especially by antiquarians and collectors.
The inscription Mars Condates is a conflation (joining) of deities:{{efn|Neil Oliver – Ancient Britain...
..."Twinning of gods and goddesses was a tactic the Romans employed all across the Empire ...{{sfn|Oliver|2012|p=347}} }}
=Altar inscriptions (British Isles)=
List of altars with inscriptions to Mars Condates:
| class="wikitable sortable" style="border-collapse: collapse; background:#f0f0f0"
!style="text-align:left"|Reference !style="text-align:left"|Type !style="text-align:left"|Find location !style="text-align:left"|Confluence !style="text-align:left"|Map
!style="text-align:left"|Ordnance |
| Cramond
|Mars Condates |url= https://romaninscriptionsofbritain.org/inscriptions/3500 |website= Roman Inscriptions of Britain |accessdate= 28 September 2024}} |Altar |Cramond Roman Fort, |url= https://www.roman-britain.co.uk/places/cramond/ |publisher= Roman Britain |access-date= 28 September 2024}} |{{cite web |title= MAGiC MaP: Cramond Roman Fort. |url=http://magic.defra.gov.uk/MagicMap.aspx?&xygridref=319090,676800&startScale=10000 |publisher= Defra }} |{{Ordnance Survey coordinates|319202_676778}} |
| Chester-le-Street
|Mars Condates |url= https://romaninscriptionsofbritain.org/inscriptions/1045 |website= Roman Inscriptions of Britain |accessdate= 28 September 2024}} |Altar |Concangis (Roman Fort), |{{cite web |title= MAGiC MaP: Cong Burn – River Wear confluence. |url=http://magic.defra.gov.uk/MagicMap.aspx?chosenLayers=moncIndex&xygridref=427950,551570&startScale=10000 |publisher= Defra }} |{{Ordnance Survey coordinates|427799_551264}} |
| Coniscliffe
|Mars Condates |url= https://romaninscriptionsofbritain.org/inscriptions/1024 |website= Roman Inscriptions of Britain |accessdate= 28 September 2024}} |Altar |High Coniscliffe village.{{efn|Found at High Coniscliffe, which lies about 1.6 km. east of Piercebridge.}} |? River Tees. |{{cite web |title= MAGiC MaP: High Coniscliffe. |url=http://magic.defra.gov.uk/MagicMap.aspx?chosenLayers=moncPIndex&xygridref=422600,515300&startScale=25000 |publisher= Defra }} |{{Ordnance Survey coordinates|420855_515627}} |
| Bowes
|Mars Condates |url= https://romaninscriptionsofbritain.org/inscriptions/731 |website= Roman Inscriptions of Britain |accessdate= 28 September 2024}} |Altar |Bowes village.{{efn|Found on the north side of the main road about 180 m. east of Bowes fort.}} |? River Greta. |{{cite web |title= MAGiC MaP: Bowes village. |url=http://magic.defra.gov.uk/MagicMap.aspx?chosenLayers=moncIndex&xygridref=399420,513430&startScale=10000 |publisher= Defra }} |{{Ordnance Survey coordinates|399101_513404}} |
| Moulton
|Mars Condates |url= https://romaninscriptionsofbritain.org/inscriptions/Brit.47.1 |website= Roman Inscriptions of Britain |accessdate= 28 September 2024}} |Altar |Moulton, North Yorkshire. |Not known |{{cite web |title= MAGiC MaP: Moulton, North Yorkshire. |url=http://magic.defra.gov.uk/MagicMap.aspx?&xygridref=423550,503830&startScale=25000 |publisher= Defra }} |{{Ordnance Survey coordinates|423554_503906}} |
=France=
An example of an altar-inscription to Condatis has been found at Allonnes, Sarthe in France.
References
=Citations=
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=Notes for citations=
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Bibliography
- {{Cite book|last=Delamarre|first=Xavier|title=Dictionnaire de la langue gauloise: Une approche linguistique du vieux-celtique continental|year=2003|publisher=Errance|isbn=9782877723695|author-link=Xavier Delamarre}}
- {{cite web |last1= James |first1= Alan G.
|year= 2020 |title= The Brittonic Language in the Old North, A Guide to the Place-Name Evidence, Volume 2
|url= https://spns.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Alan_James_Brittonic_Language_in_the_Old_North_BLITON_Volume_II_Dictionary_2020_Edition.pdf
|publisher= Scottish Place-Name Society |access-date= 1 October 2024}}
- {{cite book |last1= MacKillop |first1= James |author-link= James MacKillop (author)
|year= 2004 |title= Oxford Dictionary of Celtic Mythology |publisher= Oxford University Press |isbn= 0-19-860967-1 }}
- {{Cite book|last=Matasović|first=Ranko|title=Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Celtic|year=2009|publisher=Brill|isbn=9789004173361|author-link=Ranko Matasović}}
- {{cite book |last1=Nègre |first1=Ernest |title=Toponymie générale de la France |date=1990 |publisher=Librairie Droz |isbn=978-2-600-02883-7 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rsNpi7IVulEC |language=fr}}
- {{cite book |last1= Oliver |first1= Neil |author-link= Neil Oliver
|year= 2012 |title= A History of Ancient Britain |publisher= Weidenfeld & Nicolson |isbn= 978-0753828861 }}
{{Celtic mythology (ancient)}}